Electric signal



(No Modei.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. D. WINTON. ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

Pateted Maly 12, 1885.

INVENTOR 11am@ `B Wmvx BY WITNESSBS ATTORNEYS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N0. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

INVENTOR 11mm 11.1Tmm

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 'I sheets-sheet 3.'

H. D. WINTON.

ELEGTEIG SIGNAL. No. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

WITNESSES: y INVENTOE Huw@ 'Yfxmw BY 5MM/1 2 ATTORNEYS N. PETERS.Pnuwmnugnpher. wmmgm... unc

A t e e h S e e h S 7 N O T N I D. H a. d 0 M O m ELECTRIC SIGNAL. No.317,91L

Patented May l2, 1885.

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Phnlolihugraphen Wnshingon. D.C.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

H. D. WINTON.

, ELECTRIC SIGNAL. No. 331911. Patented May l2, 1885.

N. PEYERS. PhnknfL'homphur, Washington. D.C.

(No Moel.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

- H. D. WINTON.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL. l No. 317,911. Patented May 12, 1885.

HIHIII WITNBSSES INVBNTOR faQ-0, ww BY/mm g ATTORNEYS llivrrien Bra'rnsFar-enit trios..

HENRY D. VINTON' OF VELLESLEY HILLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEC-raso SIGNA-L1 Q'PEGFJCATON forming part of Letters Patent No.317,911, dated IVIay 12, l.

Application tiled July 17, 1884. (No model.)

.To @ZZ 107mm it may concern,.-

Be Vit known that I, HENRY D. VVINTON, a citizen ofthe United States,residingat Tellesley Hills, in the county ol Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in ElectricApparatus for Interlocking Signals, of which the following` is aspecication.

This invention relates particularly to a system of interlocking signals,such as are generally used on railroad crossings, switches, ordraw-bridges, and the object ot' my invention is to prevent thesignal-man from giving a wrong signal.

The peculiar devices and combinations which compose my interlockingapparatus are pointed out in the following specification and claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l representsa transverse vertical section of the frame which contains thesignal-levers andthe mechanism for interlocking the same. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section of the same in the plane :c fr, Fig. l.Fig. 2* is a similar View on a larger scale showing the connections.Fig. 3 is a similar section in the plane y y, Fig. l. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and7 are detached views of the electro-magnets and of parts of theinterlocking mechanism on a larger scale than the previous iigures. Fig.8 is aside elevation of a semaphoric signal, such as may be used inconnection with the signal-levers. Fig. 9 is a dia- Agram illustratingthe application of my system to a railroad-crossing. Fig. 10 is a sideviewof a double-circuit instrument such as used in my system. Fig. 1l isa plan or top view of the same. Fig. l2 is a plan or top View of aninterlocking block signal instrument such as used in my system. Fig. 13is a side View ofthe same. Fig. 14 is aside view of atrack-circuit-breaking instrument-such as may be used in my system. Fig.l5 is a similar view of a track-circuit-closing instrument such as maybe used iu my system. Fig.

16 is an electric signal such as may be used in my system.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the box or frame in which isfirmly mounted h the shaft B. This shaft forms the fulcrum of thesignal-levers()` C2 C C, which turn loosely thereon, the number of whichdepends upon the number of signals which are to be operated by thesignal-man in charge. To the lower end oteach ot' the levers is securedan iron piece, D.-provided with two arms, d d', upon one ot' which issecured a weight, c, while the other connects by a cable or chain withthe signal S, Fig. 8. The normal position of this signal is danger,77such position being shown in full linesin Fig. 8. Itis kept in thatposition by the weight c. 'Vhen the lever C is moved in the direction ofthe arrow marked near it in Fig. l the signal S is drawn down to theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, (indicating danger.) and byreturning the lever the signal will return lo its normal condition,(indicating dange1.) The lever C maybe connected by a system of leversto a switch, so that the switch can be moved by the action of t-helever;

With the lever C is combineda catch-rod, E, the lower end of whichcatches in l'ront of the stop F, formed onv an iron casting, which issecured at one end to the timber G, while its other end rests upon theshaft B. This piece is made to flange on either side of the lever, aslshown at F F, Fig. 3, and it forms -a hold and guide for the lever, toprevent it from moving` upon the shaft in a lateral d1- rection. Thecatch-rod is retained in its normal condition by a spring, H, and it isprovided with a handle, l, which is pivoted to the lever C. By pullingthis handle in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. l, thelower end of the catch-rod is raised clear of the stop F, and the leverC can be moved for the purpose of actuating the signal, as alreadydescribed.

Seouredto the lower end of the catch-rod E is an insulating-block, d, onthe lower edge of which is a metallic strip, dit. When the catchrod isin its normal condition, this strip bears upon two springs, e e', Figs.l and 2, which are secured to the timber G, and thereby a circuit-closeris formed. When the catch-rod is raised, this circuit is broken. Thetimbers G G rest upon a casting, fil", (see Figs. l and 2,) 'and on thetimbers G Gr are secured plates ff', which form the guides for a slidingbar, K, from the edge of which extends. a pin, g, into a slot, g', inthe lever C', so that by mov- IOO ing the lever a sliding motion isimparted to the bar K. .On the bar are secured two adjustable lugs, o o,Figs. 1 and 5, which govern the distance of its movement. L and M areelectro-magnets for locking the bar K.

Fig. 4 is a front View of the locking-magnet L, and Fig. 5 is a sidevievsT of the same. L is the electromagnet, and L is its armature, whichswings in bearings h It. From the back side of the armature extends anarm carrying an adjustable balance-weight, h which is so adjusted as torequire a slight power to raise the armature. A pin, Z, projecting fromthe side of the plate f, forms the back stop of the armature. On the endof the armatureis a finger, t', and when the magnet is devitalized sothat the armature falls to the position shown' in full lines in Fig. 5the finger i drops in front of the bar K and the bar cannot be moved.Yhenever the electro-magnet L is devitalized, the bar K is locked andthe lever C cannot be pulled from its normal position, and of course thesignal connected with the lever cannot be actuated; but when a circuitis passing through the magnet L the bar K is unlocked and the lever O isfree to be moved. The magnets M on the opposite or back side ofthe frameA. perform the same operation. If the lever has been pulled, the lockingdevice connected with the electro-magnet M may operate to lock thelever, so that it cannot be returned until such time as thc magnet isvitalized. The magnets L vtherefore may be called the front locks andthe magnets M the back locks.

Vith the sliding bar K are combined circuit-closers Z Zij, the operationof which will be understood by referring to Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

Secured to the timbers G G are brackets Z, on which are mountedinsulating-blocks Z, which carry the springs Z Zi On the sliding bar Kis secured an insulated cam, K, having a metallic strip, K, on one side,Fig. 7. When the bar K is moved in the direction of the arrow marked onit in Fig. 7, the cam K comes in contact with the springs Z. Zt, and ametallic connection is made by the strip K, thus closing a circuit. Onreturning the sliding bar the cam K comes in contact `with the springs ZZ* on its insu lated side, and no circuit is made. From this descriptionit will be seen that it is impossible to move the lever C unless thecatch-rod E is first pulled. This act may break a circuit, as described,and if no current is passing through the front locking-magnets, thelever C cannot be moved, because the bar K is locked. If the lever canbe and is pulled, two circuits can be made by the cams K secured to thebar K, while no circuits are made in returning the lever.

I will now explain how the levers C C2 G3 C1 are interlocked byreference to the circuits indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2*. Byiracing these circuits it will be seen that a circuit is complete frombattery X, wire 11, wire 12, circuit-elosers e e on lever C', Wire 13,locking-magnet L2, wire 14, circuit-closers e e on levers O3, wire 15,lockingmagnet L11 to the I locking-magnets.

ground. Thelocking-magnets L2-and L4 of levers C2 C4 being vitalized,these levers are free to be moved. A circuit is also made from batteryX, wires 11 and 17, circuit-closers e e on lever G1, Wire 1S,locking-magnet L, wire 19, locking-magnet L:1,wire 20, circuit-closers ec on lever C1, wire 21 to the ground, and consequently levers C C areunlocked. Now, then, if lever C is pulled, the circuit throughlocking-magnets L2 L4 are broken,which locks the corresponding levers,and they cannot be moved until lever G is returned to its normalcondition. In the same way, it lever C2 is pulled it breaks the circuitsthrough locking-magnets LL3 and the correspondinglevers, C C3, cannot-be moved. By pulling lever C3 the levers C2 C1 are locked, and bypulling lever G1 the levers C C3 are locked. In this combination boththe levers C G1 can be pulled, and then the levers C'Z'G4 cannot bemoved until both levers C C3 have been restored, and vice versa. Othercombinations may, however, be made, and when a large number ofcombinations vare required I can introduce relay-instruments into thecircuits.

I will now describe the application of my interlocking system to arailroad-crossing,such as illustrated in Fig. 9. In the drawings, theletters R It B B* represent the tracks of a railroad-crossing, thetrains ruiming in the direction of the arrow marked on these tracks. N NN N :t are electric signals placed at suitable distances from thecrossing. S S S SiK are semaphores or home-signals, such, forinstance,as shown in Fig. 3. T T T Ti" are trackcircuit-breaking instruments, andtt t t* are .track circuit closing instruments. C C2 C3 O1 are levers,such as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and they connect with the signals SS S S 1 by cables, rods, or chains s s s s* and bell-crank levers orpulleys. e5 e c7 e1 are the circuit-closers, such as shown at c e',Figs. 1 and 2. L11 L1O L11 L12 are the front locking-magnets, and. M111M11 M15 M1G are the IOO IIO

correspondingbacklocking-magnets. Z"Z10Z11Z12 are the circuit-closersappertaining to the front locking-magnets, (such as marked Z Z* in Figs.1, 5, and 6,) and m13 m11 m15 m1 are the corresponding circuit-closersbelonging to the back O O2 03.01 are interlocking block signalinstruments, such as illustrated in Figs. l2 and 13. P P1 l?3 I"1 aredoublecircuit instruments, such as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The normalcondition ofthe electric signals and the semaphores is at danger.77 Theoperator can clear both the distant signal N and the home-signal S bypulling the lever C. By this operation the semaphore S is brought in aposition indicating 1 safety, and at the same time a circuit is made bycircuit` closer Z9 from battery Y, Wire 31, magnet o on instrument O,wire 32, magnet 0, wire 33, circuit-'closer Z1, wires 31 and 49 to theground. This circuit closes spring o2 on instrument O, therebycompleting a secondary circuit from battery Y, wire 31, wire 35, springo", wire 36, magnet o3, wire 37, a closed spring in trackinstrument T,the electr0magnet of signal N, wire 38 to the ground, thereby raisingthe signal N to safety7 and locking the spring o2, as hereinafterexplained. The act of pulling the lever C breaks the circuit atcircuit-closer e5, which runs through locking-magnets Il10 and L, andthe corresponding levers, C2 and 0*, become locked, so that it isimpossible to operate the signals N N and S Stir. There is no objectionto pulling lever C3, as a train may be allowed to cross on track It. Iflever C3 is pulled it becomes impossible to operate levers C2 C4 untilboth levers C C3 are restored again, as already explained. The trainwhich has been given the right of way proceeds, and on reaching thetrack-instrument T it breaks the circuit of signal N and this signalfalls to danger at the same time the circuit through locking magnet o3is broken and spring o2 is opened. After pulling lever C it is desirableto lock it back so thatthe operator cannot restore it before the trainhas passed the crossing. This is accomplished by the back-locks in thefollowing manner: A circuit is complete from battery Z, wires 41 and 42,springp on instrument P', `wire 43, back locking-magnet M11, wires 44and 45 to the ground, and thus the lever C is normally unlocked on theback side; but when the le ver is pulled a circuit is made bycircuitclosers m13 from battery Z, wire 4l, wire 46, magnet p oninstrument P', wire 47, circuitcloser m1, wires 48 and 49 to the ground,spring p on instrument P is opened, the circuit th rough the backlocking-magnet M13 is broken and its armature falls, so as to lock thebar K, Figs. 1 and 5, of lever C on the back side. The lever C'therefore cannot be restored to its normal condition until a circuit isclosed through magnet M13, which is accomplished by the action of thetrain on the track-instrument t. By this action a circuit is closed frombattery Z, wire 41, wire 50, magnet p2 on instrument P', wire 51,circuit-closer on the track-instrument t, wire 52 to the ground. By thiscircuit the spring p on instrument P is closed again and locked, thecircuit through locking-magnet lV 13 is completed and lever 0 isunlocked on its back side, so that it can be restored to its normalcondition. In place of the semaphores S S S S*, derailing-switches maybe used, which are connected to the levers C C2 C3 C* by connectionssimilar to those shown for connecting the semaphores with the levers.The normal condition of these derailing-switches is such as to carry atrain off the main line. When it is desired to give the right of way toa train on the track A', for instance, the switch which takes the placeof the semaphore S will be thrown on the main line-that is to say, insuch a position that the main line is complete. This act will make itimpossible to move the switches on the conflicting tracks, so that, ifan engineer disobeys his signal, his engine will le thrown from thetrack instead ot' crossing in the face of a train which has the right ofway.

What are here termed dcraili 11g-switches 7 are not to be understood asswitches or obstructions which throw the train entirely ott` the track,but only such as derail it so far as the mainy track is concerned, andswitch or shunt such train onto a siding, switch, or shunt, which may beof any desired length, such length, for instance, as guarantees safetyto the train derailed, sofar as concerns the main track, and leaves themain track free for such train as has the right of way.

The double-circuit instruments P P2 P3 P* are constructed as shown inFigs. 10 and 11. In these figures the letter p2 designates the mainmagnet, the armature p3 of which is secured to a lever, p4, whichconnects by a rod, p5, with a lever, p6. This lever has its fulcrum incenter points, p7, and its lower end connects with a rod, p3, whichcarries a rollerlstud, p9. If the main magnet isvitalized and itsarmature is attracted, the roller-stud p closes the spring p. In thisposition the armature p3 of the main magnet is locked by thearmaturelever plo of the releasing-magnet p. It' this releasing-magnetis vitalized, its armaturelever releases the armature-lever of the mainmagnet, the armature p3 falls back, and the springp is opened.

The interlocking block signal instruments O Oz C)3 04 are constructed asshown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The letter o designates the main magnet. 03 is the locking-magnet, and othe additional magnet. The armature oAL is secured to a lever, o, whichconnects by a rod, 0G, with a lever, o7, the lower end of which ispivoted to a rod, 0S, that carries a roller-stud, o9. Vhen the mainmagnet is vitalized, the roller-stud acts upon the spring o2 and closesthe same. If at the same time a circuit is closed through thelocking-magnet o3, the armature-lever o10 of this magnet locks thearmaturelever o5 of the main magnet, and the spring o2 remains closeduntil the circuit through the lockingmagnet is broken.

The track-instruments T, which I use, may be constructed as shown inFig. 14. The springs r r are closed in their normal condition, and ifthe lever 'r2 is depressed by the wheels of a passing train, the springsr r are opened and the circuit previously closed through them is broken.In the track-instru ments t, Fig. 15, the springs r3 r* are normallyopen, and they are closed by the action of the wheels of a passing trainupon the lever.

The electric signals N may be of any wellknown construction, such, forinstance, as shown in Fig. 16. Vhen the signal-magnet a is vitalized,the signal-disk'is raised out of sight, or to a position of safety Ifthe signal-magnet is devitaliz-ed, the signal-disk drops in sight,indicating dangen I make no claim for the broad idea or method or"controlling railway-signals from a distance by making or breaking bymeans of electricity the connection between a semaphoric signal and ahand-lever employed to move it, so that ICO the said lever can berendered operative or inoperative on the signal, and that when it is sorendered inoperative the signal is moved to or kept at its dangerattitude.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electrically-operated railway-signal, the combination of thehand-lever C', the sliding catch-rod E, having an insulating-strip, d,and contact-piece, dii, the circuit-closing spring e, and an armatureand magnet, electrical connectors, and a sliding bar, K, for locking thehand-lever, with a semaphoricor other signal connected with the leverO,and a frame having a catch device for the rod E, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with two levers, C C2, and with the connections ofthese levers with semaphores or s\vitches,of catch-rods, one for eachlever, the contact-pieces attached to these catch-rods, thecircuit-closing` springs foreach contact-piece, the sliding bars, onefor each lever, the locking-magnets, and the connectionso'thelocking-magnets and creuit-closers with a battery, substantially asand for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, v: ith thelever C and with the connections of this lever with a semaphore orswitch, of the sliding bar K, the connec` tions substantially such asherein described between this bar and the lever, the frontlocking-magnetL and the back locking-magnet M.

4. The combination, with two levers, C C2, and with the connections ofthese levers with semaphores or switches, of catch-rods, one for eachlever, the contact-pieces attached to these catch-rods, thecircuit-closing springs for each contact-piece, the sliding bars, one

for each lever. the circuit-closing springs acted.

upon by these sliding bars, the front lockingmagnets, the backlocking-magnets. and the connections of these magnets, and of thecircuit-closing springs with a battery or batteries, substantially asand for the purpose shown and described.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, with tworailroad tracks, R Rit, which cross each other, of two levers, C C?,connected to semaphores or derailingswitches, means substantially suchas herein described for interlocking the levers, trackinstruments tt,double-circuit instruments, P' P2, and the connections of these partswith a battery or batteries.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, with tworailroad-tracks, R R*, which cross each other, of two interlockinglevers, C CZ, connected to two sernaphores or derailing-switches, meanssubstantially such as herein described for interlocking the levers,track-instruments t t', doublecircuit instruments P P2, electric signalsN N', track-instruments T T', interlocking block signal instruments OO2, and the connection of these parts with a battery or batteries.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY D. WINToN. [n s] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. S. KASTENHUBER.

